


Hateful Pearls

by sugar_bears_smile



Category: Cirque du Freak | The Saga of Darren Shan - Darren Shan
Genre: Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/M, Fanfiction, Vampaneze, Vampires, ongoing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:27:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21540622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugar_bears_smile/pseuds/sugar_bears_smile
Summary: Claudette Belaire ends up at a performance of the Cirque Du Freak, where she runs into someone she has been searching for since she was a child. This chance meeting could change the course of her life completely.
Relationships: Larten Crepsley/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	Hateful Pearls

My eyes darted to the skies as a flyer swirled above me in the wind. I was just passing through a small town in my vintage car when the beige sheet of paper drifted down to settle politely on the passenger seat. I slid my sunglasses up onto my pinned-up fluorescent purple hair as I approached a red light. I peered over at it before continuing my drive as the lights turned green. The text on the flyer flashed behind my eyelids each time I blinked. I struggled to focus on anything else until I realised my car was running low on fuel. I soon parked at a petrol station and began filling up my car. 

“Hi there! Can I help you with anything?” I turned around to face a middle-aged man in a pastel blue polo shirt with ‘George’ embroidered on it. I smiled politely before declining.

“No thank you, I think I can manage.” I let my eyes focus on his face, where I let out an involuntary sigh. He was eyeing me up like a piece of meat. I coughed to attempt to drag his attention away from my chest but to no avail. I rolled my eyes and finished up with the car. I twisted my key to the right in the door to lock it before striding past ‘George’ and towards the building where I would pay for my purchase. I send a relieved smile to the boy that was waiting at the cash register to serve me. I found no comfort in his presence when he looked me up and down before scoffing at my attire. At least I looked put together, while he looked like he had wandered out of a bad teen movie from the 90’s. Emphasis on bad. 

At least I was only passing through. I paid and left as soon as I could, pulling the roof over on my car. That George character was still loitering around it but I paid him no mind until he was standing so closely behind me that I could feel his breath on my neck. He made a grab for my waist before I made contact. I grit my teeth and elbowed him in the ribs so he was gasping for air before I grabbed his left hand in a vice-like grip. I wrenched him up from his doubled-over position and growled at him. “You must be a truly horrible man to act like that when you have a wife at home.” I twisted his arm roughly to leave him bruised before unlocking my car and sliding into the driver’s seat. As I cruised my way away from the station, stopping at the far exit, flipping the man off before driving off. 

It had become dark and before I knew it I had neatly parked on a street I was unfamiliar with. There were old wrought iron gates protecting an old building which looked like it was once a beautiful theatre venue. I surveyed the location a little more before I stepped out of the car. There was a man wearing a patterned shirt and a pair of comfortable trousers underneath a worn leather jacket. I strolled up to him, my low heels clicking clicking on the pavement with each step. I smiled softly at him before I handed him the flyer to exchange for tickets. He smiled back at me. 

“£10 per ticket, ma’am.” He smiled. I could tell he was flushed even in the dark. I smiled wider, tucking a piece of stray hair behind my ear which had fallen out of it’s updo. 

“As much as I appreciate your generosity, I’d rather pay full price. I assume the Cirque could use it, considering the legality of your business.” I kept my smile gentle to show I meant no disrespect. He seemed to blush an even deeper red before murmuring a more expensive price, which I managed to catch. I pulled a £20 note from my purse and handed it to him. He made a move to pull change from his pocket but I stopped him. “Keep the change,” I stated lightly. “I didn’t catch your name-”

“Jekkus Flang, miss. I perform in the show.” He cut in nervously. I grinned as he continued. “This ticket will admit you to any of the shows we perform until friday when we move to a new town.” He scribbled something on the back of the ticket before handing it back to me. I took it from him before taking a step back. 

“I’ll be there later tonight. Thank you,” I threw him a slight wink as I turned to walk back to my car. I once again slid into my car before driving off. I found a tiny hotel and booked a room. The inhabitants of the town all seemed to be very haughty and unfriendly. As I walked away from the old woman at the front desk she complained to her husband about me. 

“You can’t go around wearing clothes like that when you know nothing about the 40’s. Stupid girl.” I scoffed as I continued up to my room. At least I had experienced one friendly interaction that day. 

I placed my belongings on the small amount of floor space before locking the door behind me. I unpacked my makeup and clothes into the small chest of drawers beside the small single bed. For the price I paid for the room it was terribly small but I was happy to support a business that obviously wasn’t earning much money in this small town. I laid out my outfit for the evening. It consisted of a black swing dress with a delicate white blouse I would wear underneath and I threw some sheer tights on the pile to keep me warm in the cool night. 

I made the single step journey to the bathroom where I had placed my makeup remover and soap. I washed my face to freshen up after my day of driving. I easily did my makeup and hair, letting my curls down and fixing my bangs before drowning them in hairspray. I tied a thin hair scarf around my head and put on my clean clothes. I slid on my low black heels before placing my pearl necklace around my neck and putting in some dainty earrings. I had twenty minutes to get to the theatre so I pulled on my long coat before grabbing my keys and purse, locking the door as I left. 

Stepping out into the cold night air, I took a deep breath and let it out in a cloud of pale smoke. I got to the theatre in record time considering my slow strolling pace. I once again approached the looming structure of the abandoned theatre. I turned over the ticket that the man Jakkus had given me to see what he had written on the reverse. 

“VALID FOR ALL PERFORMANCES”

The only lights coming from the building were from the foyer I could see through a huge gap where a door should be. I hurried up the few stairs leading up to the doorway. They were covered in moss and decay but I thought it just added to the building’s charm. When I reached the reception I was met by an extremely tall man with coal black eyes, thin hands and his face was showing a blank expression. He seemed very intimidating but I had no reason to believe he would be unkind to me so I smiled at him as I approached, the air somehow feeling colder inside the theatre than out. I held out my ticket to the gentleman and he almost snatched it from me, inspecting the scribbled writing he could find there. 

“Jakkus is fond of you,” He spoke, his voice deep and hoarse like a toad. “You should be sure to stay for his act. Many find it interesting.” I smiled politely at him and agreed to do so before he handed back my ticket and spoke once more; “Allow me to show you to the stage, miss Belaire.”

“I assume you won’t tell me how you know my name,” I mused, looking up at him from my smaller height. He turned to me and wore a smile, showing his black teeth and yellowed tongue. No more words were exchanged as we entered the concert hall, where my breath was ripped from my chest. The room was beautifully made, but most of the original chairs had been ripped up and were replaced by a huge amount of deck chairs, a few of which were already occupied.

“You may select any seat, my dear,” He stated before turning around and striding away. When I turned to thank him for his hospitality he was already gone. I found myself a seat a few rows from the front, which I put my bag down on while I removed my jacket. I placed my bag under the beams of the chair and slung my jacket over the back of it. I sat down and waited a few short minutes for the show to start. I thought back over the flyer I had been looking at earlier that evening. In the car I only had a chance to glance at the title and the address so I didn’t know the specifics of the show.

I was about to witness the Cirque Du Freak and oh boy, I was not ready for what was in store for me that night.

(word count: 1586)


End file.
